As November nears, here’s what Centre County is doing to ensure a safe, secure election
As President Donald Trump continues to push claims that voting by mail increases fraud, Centre County is working to ensure the general election is secure whether ballots are cast in-person or by absentee.
Scheduled for Nov. 3, the general election is less than 100 days away. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and controversy surrounding the United States Postal Service posing even more challenges in local communities, the Centre County Board of Commissioners is confident its election staff will be well-equipped to handle the electoral process.
“Centre County is probably one of the most robust and pivotal in terms of being able to adapt to change and implement as we see fit,” Commissioner Michael Pipe said Tuesday.
The June primary election saw an influx of absentee ballots, and Centre County processed more than 19,000 absentee ballots in a few days while other counties experienced delayed results.
“We did it in a very timely fashion and, again, were able to do it without any challenges that occurred from anybody — any voters — in the county,” Pipe said.
With 108,813 total registered Centre County voters, election staff is expecting to receive more ballots in November. To prepare, Pipe said the county has secured equipment to assist in counting ballots.
Appointed “poll watchers” — party representatives, candidates or lawyers — will help monitor the voting process.
Centre County is also seeking volunteers to help on Election Day — either at precincts or in the elections office. To sign-up, visit the elections and voter registration page on the county website.
“They’re going to be afforded a very transparent process,” Pipe said. “In addition to Election Day itself, we have very, very well-trained judges of elections — majority inspectors, minority inspectors — in each one of our precincts, and if there would be any potential changes due to COVID-19 at a precinct-level or a polling location, we’ll make the voters very much aware of that.”
The final day to register to vote is Oct. 19, and the deadline to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Oct. 27. Mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by the Centre County Elections Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day; a postmark is not enough.
To ensure voters are able to return their ballots with ease, the county plans to use its ballot drop box, located outside the main entrance to the Willowbank Building at 420 Holmes St. in Bellefonte. The box is monitored 24 hours a day by video surveillance.
Pipe said the elections office is considering investing in more boxes but is unable to do so because of ongoing litigation, following a lawsuit from Republicans who say mail-in ballot drop boxes violate the state and federal constitutions. The suit also argues that state and county elections officials implemented varied policies that violate equal protection laws.
Commissioners Mark Higgins and Steve Dershem also expressed confidence in Centre County’s election staff and counting process, adding that mail-in and drop boxes make voting more accessible.
“I don’t have a problem with the whole drop box situation, particularly the one we have here at the Willowbank Building,” Dershem, a Republican, said. “We put a lot of thought into finding a good placement for it, making sure it was secure. I think we have the right product out there as far as security. I do believe it probably provides the best protection ... for the ballots.”
County mail-in ballot data will be released in the coming weeks, according to the elections office.
To register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot, visit centrecountypa.gov or votespa.com for more information.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 2:37 PM.
